Like a diligent student of history, by tracing the lines of Chinese calligraphy we can follow the trends of the past. From the ancient bronze-ware inscriptions of the Warring States to the sublime script of the Tang dynasty, with each brushstroke symbols are ripped from the physical earth and stretched onto the continuously unrolling cultural canvas of “us.”
But how can Chinese calligraphy be universally understood, and what can it tell us about the connections between Eastern and Western culture?
In this context, the work of contemporary Chinese artist Wei Ligang is this century’s response to the notion of individuality within an increasingly globalized world. In his latest exhibition titled Universality at the Zhi Art Museum in Chengdu, Wei Ligang’s calligraphy is not merely a representation of our reality, it is an ambitious reinterpretation of the universal meaning of symbols, art, and our collective understanding.
From Primitive Script to Abstract Ideals
Wei Ligang’s 58 pieces of work on display draw inspiration on everything from ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs to industrial civilization, and the Zhi Art Museum perfectly curates this in all three levels of the exhibition.
图源：知美术馆
Upon entering Universality, visitors are encouraged to walk right to left as if reading traditional Chinese poetry, and the lower level of the museum pays tribute to the origin and extension of written language with a dark room dedicated to “Talismans, Incantations, and Ritual Implements.”
Exploring this shadowy alcove with its glowing artifacts feels as if you are an archeologist stumbling onto the magical secrets of written language, while the second floor features an actual pool of water adorned with more serene Chinese themes like “The Blue Lotus Pond” and “Reeds.”
”According to Chinese art critic Joan Stanley-Baker, the essence of calligraphy is “sheer life experienced through the energy in motion, with time and rhythm in shifting space its main ingredients.”
As part of this larger thematic narrative, the curving staircase of Zhi Art Museum features horizontal slashes of paint that represent the linear nature of human history, but as you ascend to the top floor, Wei Ligang shapes these singular brushstrokes of paint into huge circles that offers his audience a glimpse into the eternal. Peering into these fluid lines brings us full circle to the essence of language, thought, and the energy that unites all things in Universality, and serves as a reminder of the cyclical flow of time.
The Bridge Between Eastern Philosophy
And Western Logic
To Chinese and foreign students alike, the task of learning calligraphy can be intimidating. It is a process that not only involves physical mastery of the strokes, mechanisms, and motions that comprise the script, but also requires a deeper historical appreciation of culture and symbolism.
The same can be said about abstract art. Originally a student of mathematics, Wei Ligang dips into these formulaic structures to construct his signature “Wei Magic Squares,” which loosely resemble the grid-like practice paper used by students of Chinese writing.
创作中的魏立刚
Butterfly Valley 1
2007,Ink and acrylic on xuan paper,68 x 135 cm
BAO Collection
In doing so, he simultaneously pays tribute to both the repetitive nature of written language and the precise, geometric patterns of abstract painters such as Wassily Kandinsky.
左：魏立刚“孔雀”
右：瓦西里·康定斯基“抽象主义”
圣经，2010，墨、丙烯、刀刻、纸板，53.1 x 75.4cm
图源：知美术馆
Yet, in pieces such as “Peacock” and "The Holy Bible," Wei Ligang intentionally breaks the conventional boxes that fill Chinese textbooks to spill ink outward in a striking display of shapes, colors, and symbols. By deconstructing characters in this fashion, Wei Ligang reshapes traditional forms of text to express new, abstract ideas in a revolutionary style. In one case he even paints directly on the wall of the museum, completely subverting the “framed-box” structure of traditional art exhibitions. This offers an ambitious reinterpretation of what calligraphy can be and explores previously undiscovered connections between Eastern and Western modes of expression.
未命名，在展一楼 图源：崔西
策展人及“孔雀”，图源：知美术馆
A Poem of Many Characters
Unlike many retrospective exhibitions, Wei Ligang is still alive and the ink of his story is still as wet as the waterfall of paint he used to create the towering scroll in the middle of the exhibition, which fills the room with the sweet smell of faded camphor. In this regard, Universality serves as a fresh starting point for understanding how Chinese calligraphy can be used to reflect a larger, universal human narrative, one that is mirrored by our implicit connection with the natural world and with each other.
The top floor features traditional poetry that proves Wei Ligang has inherited the legacy of his Eastern fathers. Yet, with his unique abstract methods, he boldly moves beyond tradition to remind us: Just as a single Chinese character is composed of many strokes that comprise a whole, we as individuals are a testament to our personal past.
展馆三楼图源：知美术馆
“书象赋1 ” ，2012，墨、铅笔、宣纸 图源：Cosense新青年
“书象赋1 ” ，2012，墨、铅笔、宣纸图源：崔西
Not one single slash, dot, or imperfection can truly define our identity, and not one lone character can comprise a poem. Only when we view ourselves as part of a larger human story can we truly transcend our different histories and embrace the collective narrative of our shared future within Universality.
Originally written in English by Rory Mencin
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